Huan Zhang

Hehe, Xiexie

www.artforworldexpo.com:
The sculpture by Zhang Huan is a pair of pandas, one named "He He" (Great Peace) and the other "Xie Xie" (Great Harmony). They are made from mirror-finished stainless steel. The piece represents a harmonious society, harmonious world, harmonious Expo, the togetherness of people, and the beauty of having a city in harmony. In the Chinese language, there is an expression that says, "Harmony between countries is what matters. If we conduct ourselves so that the family lives in harmony, all affairs will prosper." Zhang Huan is acclaimed as one of the foremost artists of the new wave from China. He is primarily a performance artist but also takes photographs and sculpts. He founded a studio in Shanghai, where he has expanded his medium. He has introduced such experimental materials as incense ashes, cow leather and ancient door planks leading him to do a series of ash paintings and leather sculptures. Zhang Huan's artistic practice examines his personal, cultural and artistic negotiations in response to his immediate environment. In 2009, Zhang Huan was invited by the Royal Opera House of Belgium to be the artistic director of Handel's opera, Semele.

www.wikipedia.org:
Zhang Huan (Chinese: 張洹; born 1965) is a Chinese artist based in Shanghai and New York. He began his career as a painter and then transitioned to performance art before making a comeback to painting.[1] He is primarily a performance artist but also makes photographs and sculpture

www.pandasliveon.com:
As a side story I wanted to share with you a photo of a beautiful sculpture that was created by artist, Zhang Huan that was commissioned for the Expo. You can see more photos of this sculpture with the link. This is Zhang's description of his work that was taken from his website. Confucius said: Gentlemen are diverse while being harmonious. Social responsibility of Confucianism, Taoist "use close to get far", and the Buddhist ideals of cause and effect, they all speak harmony of thought. Heaven and man as one, harmonious society and development, harmonious cities and families bring prosperity all over the world. Hehe Xiexie is an image of two sitting pandas that harbor dreaming, righteousness with courage, perseverance, optimism, tolerance, and generosity. One is called "Hehe" the other "Xiexie", they are made of mirror-finished stainless-steel. In honor of the Shanghai World Expo, it will be erected on the north Expo Axis to serve as a permanent public sculpture near the China and Taiwan Pavilion. As harmony grows among people as well as nations, peace will flourish in the world. Hehe Xiexie (Harmony) is the common dream of all inhabitants worldwide. As people advocate justice, pursue peace, and oppose war, a healthier environment is created on earth, making it more equal, more free and more gratifying. By establishing a new international order and the rising of great compassion, harmony can thrive in the world, with nature and in prospering times. This is our so called "grand harmony", to allow people to move completely from our big-self to our little-self and on to no-self, and then from no-self be released, always refining oneself to tolerant, harmonious, and generous new heights.